Clarification from the agency

This announcement is opened to Facility and VHA employees. NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this position. For more information, refer to Required Documents below.

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Duties include but are not limited to:

The Supervisory MSA leads and oversees Community Care programs and carries full supervisory responsibility for at least one subordinate team lead and multiple AMSAs/MSAs. Duties include, but are not limited to: assigning and evaluating staff work; resolving complex issues to ensure patient needs are met; reviewing new products, equipment, and systems to recommend operational improvements; identifying training and development needs; making final hiring selections; evaluating performance; and administering disciplinary actions when required.

The Supervisory MSA also holds full administrative and professional responsibility for planning and directing AMSA/MSA activities, including workload distribution and phone support. This role requires extracting and analyzing data to prepare reports that support performance measures for senior leadership. Additional responsibilities include preparing and delivering performance evaluations, recommending awards or advancements, and providing briefings to both upper management and subordinate staff. The Supervisory MSA conducts orientations, implements staff development and training initiatives, prepares agendas for staff meetings and training sessions, facilitates meetings, and develops performance standards, position descriptions, development plans, and awards. The Supervisory MSA addresses and resolves employee complaints, elevating group grievances or serious issues to higher-level leadership as needed, and responds to patient concerns by coordinating appropriate actions. The role also carries responsibility for issuing disciplinary measures such as warnings or reprimands and recommending more serious actions when necessary.

The Supervisory MSA generates daily, weekly, and monthly reports related to scheduling inconsistencies, pre-registration errors, electronic wait list and recall activity, service consult management, insurance collection, and encounter data. These reports are exported from various databases, analyzed, and used to identify training needs. Multiple reports are reviewed to track trends in clinic availability, utilization, supply and demand, and to develop projection reports that identify open slots, the number of patients on the electronic wait list, and the anticipated number of patients likely to be scheduled outside of directive guidelines. Insurance and encounter reports are monitored regularly due to their financial impact on the organization.

This position reports directly to the Chief of Community Care and works under the guidance of both the Chief and Deputy Chief of Health Administration Service. The Supervisory MSA assigns work by setting objectives, establishing priorities, and determining deadlines. Guidance is provided for unusual or complex situations. The employee independently plans and executes successive steps of work assignments and resolves scheduling problems and exceptions using knowledge of clinic operations, policies, schedules, and provider preferences. The supervisor must coordinate efforts to ensure all responsibilities are completed accurately, efficiently, and in a timely manner. The incumbent manages daily office operations autonomously, using initiative to resolve issues. While the supervisor sets general priorities, the employee organizes recurring activities independently.

Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job.
• To be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
• Must be proficient in written and spoken English.
• Subject to background/security investigation.
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• Must pass TB examination.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
• Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement.

• your performance and conduct;
• the needs and interests of the agency;
• whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
• whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.

Qualifications

Applicants pending the completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met.

Basic Requirements:

• United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
• English Language Proficiency: MSAs must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Chapter 3, Section A, paragraph3.j.
• Educations: High school diploma, General Education Development equivalency certificate, or proficiency certificate from a State or territorial-level Board or Department of Education.
• Grandfathering Provision:. Employees in VHA in this occupation, under a permanent, appropriate, and legal placement on the effective date of the qualification standard, are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the grade and/or assignment held, including positive education and registration/certification where applicable. For employees who do not meet all the basic or assignment-specific requirements in this standard but met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed, the following provisions apply:
• Employees who are appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of the qualification standard may not have their temporary appointment extended or be reappointed on a temporary or permanent basis until they fully meet the basic requirements of the standard.
• Employees retained in this occupation under this provision who subsequently leave the occupation lose protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of reentry to the occupation

• Knowledge of MSA Practices. To be creditable, the experience must have demonstrated the knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) associated with current MSA responsibilities or an equivalent administrative patient support role in a non-VA medical inpatient or outpatient setting. Experience satisfying this requirement may be paid/non-paid employment as an MSA or an equivalent position in a non-VA hospital or clinic setting.
• Quality of Experience. Qualifying experience must be at a level comparable to MSA experience or equivalent administrative clinical support role in a non-VA medical inpatient or outpatient setting at the next lower grade level. For all assignments above the full performance level, the higher-level duties must consist of significant scope, administrative independence, complexity (difficulty), and a range of varieties as described in this standard, at the specified grade level and be performed by the incumbent at least 25% of the time.
• Part-Time Experience. Part-time experience as an MSA or equivalent administrative patient support in a non-VA medical inpatient or outpatient setting is creditable according to its relationship to the full-time workweek. For example, an MSA employed 20 hours a week, or on a 1/2-time basis, would receive one full-time workweek of credit for each two weeks of service.

• Experience: One year of experience equivalent to the GS-7 grade level leading or supervising MSAs or equivalent administrative patient support staff in a non-VA medical inpatient, outpatient, or interdisciplinary setting.

• Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs:
  • Ability to provide the full range of administrative and supervisory duties to at least one subordinate MSA supervisor or team leader in a patient support setting which includes assignment of work, performance evaluations, selection of staff, and recommendation of awards and/or advancements.
  • Ability to collaborate, communicate, and demonstrate customer service and interpersonal skills with internal and external customers to ensure quality/continuity of care and ensure compliance with established policies and regulations.
  • Ability to provide briefings, orientations, staff development, and training in a patient support setting.
  • Ability to manage fiscal matters, forecast resource and equipment needs, and identify budget needs.
  • Advanced knowledge of managing or leading patient support staff in a clinic. This includes independently utilizing reference sources, decision making, and empowering the team to collaborate and resolve problems within a complex systems environment.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE MAY NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Your application, resume, C.V., and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect consideration for employment.

Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents), your responses on the application questionnaire, and your responses to all assessments required for this position. You will be assessed on the following Competencies for this position:

Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

The Department of Veterans Affairs performs pre-employment reference checks as an assessment method used in the hiring process to verify information provided by a candidate (e.g., on resume or during interview or hiring process); gain additional knowledge regarding a candidate's abilities; and assist a hiring manager with making a final selection for a position.

It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.

Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.